Christmas tree holder



Dec. 7,1948. w, H 'BRQWN ETAL CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER Filed April 10, 1947INVENTORS H Brown I will/ 4m M lull/Ina n1 6. (3pc u a Patented Dec. 7,1948 CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER William H. Brown and William S. Brown,Bedford, Ohio Application April 10, 1947, Serial No. 740,616

5 Claims.

This invention relates to supports and particularly to supports forChristmas trees or the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel combinationof water receptacle and adjustable holder and a further object is toprovide the adjustable holder of superior design for holding a Christmastree or the like with or without the receptacle for water.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel features and combinations of structure as hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. l is a sideelevation of the present pre ferred embodiment of the invention showingthe receptacle in partial section; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof andFig. 3 is a fragmentary plan section corresponding substantially to theline 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral indicates a fiat strip whichmay be a board about two feet in length and four inches in width.Secured to the strip at either end are transverse strips which may beboards about two feet in length and two inches in width. The strips Hmay be pivotally secured to the strip Ill as indicated at 22 by rivetsor bolts. This will enable the strips H to be folded into alignment withthe strip It for storage when not in use. A piece of sheet metal I2which is herein referred to as an upper abutment member is provided witha lower horizontally extending terminal portion l3 and an upperhorizontally extending terminal portion M. The terminal portion !3 isprovided with slots l'l adapted to receive bolts 15 and to be heldadjustably in relation to the strip ill by the bolts l5. Washers l6 maybe interposed between the nuts received on the bolts l and the portionl3 of the upper abutment i2. It will be noted that the slots l! arewider than the diameter of the bolts i5. This makes possible theadjustment of the tree engaging portion M in all directions horizontallyto accommodate the small irregularities in the shape of the tree trunk.

The lower abutment l9 may consist of two screws received into the stripIll. Square headed screws are shown but ordinary round headed woodscrews ma be used. Other types of abutment obviously could be used; ifthe strip H] is of metal, lugs or a curved lug may be welded on.Adjustability can easily be provided but is not necessary. In theinterest of simplicity the wood screws are preferred.

A U-bolt l8 passes through openings in the upper abutment portion I 2 ata point about twothirds of the way up from the portion 3 to the 2portion M. This provides a sufficient spacing of the U-bolt downwardlyto urge the bottom of the trunk 2| strongly against the lower abutmentl9 and yet provides greater height for reception of the receptacle 20than would be the case if the U-bolt were centrally located.

As is best seen from Fig. l, the receptacle 2!] rests on the strip ID incontact with the lower abutment l9 and the trunk M is received in thereceptacle 20 and engages against the inner surface thereof adjacent apoint at which the receptacle engages the lower abutment.

The holder shown is adapted to hold a Christmas tree trunk or the likewith or without the receptacle and its combined effectiveness andcheapness can be realized to some extent without the receptacle;however, the receptacle is a very desirable portion of the device inview of the tendency of Christmas trees to shed their needles. Should itbe desired to use the support for supporting a flag staif, for example,the receptacle would be useless; but the support could still be used.

Having thus described our invention. what we claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, a base memberhavin a substantially fiat, substantially horizontal upper surface,lower abutment means carried by said base memher and projecting abovesaid upper surface, up-- per abutment means carried by said base memher,being transversely and longitudinally adjustable with respect theretoand comprising a lower horizontally extending portion, an upwardlyextending portion carried by said horizontally extending portion and anabutment portion carried by said upwardly extending portion andextending horizontally beyond one end of said lower horizontallyextending portion, a receptacle supported by said upper surface of saidbase mem her and engaging said lower abutment means whereby a Christmastree trunk or the like may be received in said receptacle and besupported on said upper surface of said base member through the bottomof said receptacle and may be limited in its horizontal motion byengagement against said upper abutment means and against the innersurface of said receptacle adjacent to a point of engagement thereofagainst said lower abutment means and gripping means carried by saidupwardly extending portion of said upper abutment means adapted toengage against said Christmas tree trunk or the like at a pointintermediate in height between said lower abutment means and saidabutment portion of said upper abutment means to urge said Christmastree trunk or the like toward said upper and lower abutment meanswhereby it is held in fixed upright position with respect to said basemember and hold said receptacle between itself and said lower abutmentmeans, said receptacle being of a height less than the distance of saidgripping means above said base member.

2. A device set forth in claim 1' further characterized in that saidupper abutment means comprises a sheet metal element having a horizontalportion adjustably secured to said base member, an integral portionextending upwardly from said horizontal portion and provided with spacedopenings near its edges and an integral portion extending horizontallyfrom said upwardly extending portion, and said gripping, meanscomprising a U-bolt having its legs passing through said openings in thevertical portion of said sheet metal element and adapted to engage aportion of said Christmas tree trunk or the like opposed to the portionthereof which engages said lower and upper abutment means.

3. A Christmas tree holder comprising a wood base member having a flatupper surface, a plurality of wood screws screwed into said uppersurface of said base member but having a portion projecting thereabove,a piece of sheet metal having a lower portion extending along said uppersurface of said base member and provided with a slot, a bolt extendingthrough said base member and said slot and having a diameter less thanthe width of said slot, said piece of sheet metal having a centralportion integral with said lower por tion thereof and extending upwardlytherefrom, and an upper portion integral with said central portion andextending therefrom in a direction opposite to said lower portion, saidbolt being so located with respect to said wood screws that said upperportion is approximately directly over said wood screws when said boltis at a point in said slot spaced a substantial distance from both endsthereof, said central portion having openings formed therein above theheight which is equidistant between said lower portion and said upperportion and near the edges thereof, and a U-bolt having its legs passingthrough said openings and adapted to embrace a Christmas tree trunk andurge it toward said wood screws and said upper portion of said piece ofsheet metal.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination. a base memberhaving a substantially horizontal upper surface, lower abutment meanscarried by said base member and projecting above said upper surface,upper abutment means carried by said base member, being .transverselyand longitudinally adjustable with respect thereto andcomprising a lowerhorizontally extending portion, an upwardly extending portion carried bysaid horizontally extending portion and an abutment portionzcarried bysaid upwardly extending portion and extending horizontally beyond oneend of said lower horizontally extending portion, said lower abutmentmeans comprising two spaced elements extending upwardly from said uppersurface of said base member whereby a receptacle may be supported bysaid upper surface of said base member and may engage said spacedelements of said lower abutment means whereby a Christmas tree trunkorthe like may be received in said receptacle and be supported on saidupper surface of said base member through the bottom of said receptacleand may be limited in its horizontal motion by engagement against saidupper abutment means and against the inner surface of said receptacleadjacent to a point of engagement thereof against said lower abutmentmeans, and gripping means carried by said upwardly extending portion ofsaid upper abutment means adapted to engage against said Christmas treetrunk or the like at a point intermediate in height between said lowerabutment means and said abutment portion of said upper abutment means tourge said Christmas tree trunk or the like toward said upper and lowerabutment means whereby it is held in fixed upright position with respectto said base member and may hold said receptacle between itself and saidlower abutment means, said upper abutment means being longitudinallyadjustable with respect to said base member from a point wheresaidabutment portion thereof lies at one side of said spaced elements ofsaid lower abutment means to a point at which said abutment lies at theother side thereof.

5. In a deviceof the character described, in combination, a base memberhaving a substantially'flat, substantially horizontal upper surface,lower abutment means carried by said base member and projecting abovesaid upper surface, upper abutment means carried by said base member andcomprising a supporting portion secured to said base member andupstanding therefrom and an abutment portion carried by said supportingportion and extending'horizontall'y beyond one end of said supportingportion, a receptacle supported by'said upper surface of said basemember and engaging said lower abutment means whereby a Christmas treetrunk or the like may be received in sa-id'receptacle and be supportedon said upper surface of said base member through the bottom of saidreceptacle and may be limited in its horizontal motion by engagementagainst said abutment portion of said upper abutment means andagainst'the inner surface of said receptacle adjacent'to a point ofengagement thereof againstsaid lower abutment means, and gripping meanscarried by said supporting portion of said upper abutment means adaptedto engage againstsaid Christmas tree trunk or the like at a pointintermediate in height between said lower abutment means and saidabutment portion of said upper-abutment means to urge said Christmastree trunk or the like toward said upper and lower abutment meanswhereby it is held in fixed upright position with respect to said basemember and holds said receptacle between itself and said lower abutmentmeans, said receptacle being of a height less than the distance of saidgripping means above said base member.

WILLIAM H. BROWN. WILLIAM S. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 650,001 Becker et a1 May 22, 1900848,850 Pissahl Apr. 2, 1907 2,221,205 Schulz et al Nov. 12, 1940

